Terminal blocks for telecommunication lines are well known in the art. Typically, these blocks are formed from a moulded insulating material and include a front face and a rear face. Passages extending between the faces are formed in the block and house terminal contacts. The terminal contacts are connected at one end to the incoming telecommunication lines and receive plug-in type protector assemblies at the other end. Many designs for these types of blocks have been considered to facilitate installment.
In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 3,936,133 to Splitt et al shows a connector block for mounting plug-in type protector assemblies to protect telephone equipment from high voltage and current surges in incoming telephone lines. The connector block includes a mounting panel or housing having ten groups of sockets and ten groups of terminals extending through the mounting panel. The sockets are aligned on the mounting panel adjacent the side edge and each group consists of five sockets or holes which are generally cylindrical in shape. However, the sockets near the rear face of the mounting panel become generally U-shaped. A terminal contact is pushed into each socket from the front side of the mounting panel until the shoulder of the terminal contact abuts against the rear face of the panel and so that the male end of each contact passes through the U-shaped aperture. With the terminal contacts in this position, incoming telecommunication lines are connected to the male ends of the terminal contacts and plugs are pushed into the sockets to mate with the female ends of the terminal contacts. Smaller ground terminal contacts pass through one of the sockets in each group and project beyond the rear of the mounting panel a distance less than the other terminal contacts. A conductor extends across each of the shorter contacts to connect the shorter contacts to a common ground.
However, a problem exists in this type of connector block in that the terminal contacts must be pushed into the sockets via the front face in a manner which ensures that the male U-shaped end of each terminal contact is aligned with the U-shaped aperture formed in the rear face of the panel. This of course increases the time required to assemble the panel for use. Furthermore, another problem exists in that the ground bar interconnecting each of the shorter terminal contacts must be soldered to each individual contact, a task which of course is time consuming.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the above disadvantages.
Broadly stated, the present invention provides a terminal block having a front face and a rear face with an array of counterbores provided therein extending between said faces to define at least one abutment surface in each of said counterbores;
at least one groove formed in said rear face and connecting selected ones of said counterbores whereby the counterbores provide an interference fit for a terminal contact having dissimilar ends inserted therein via said rear face.
Preferably, a face plate is removably secured to the rear face of the terminal block and includes an array of apertures formed therein with each of the apertures being associated with one of the counterbores. The apertures are configured to allow the male end of the terminal contacts to pass therethrough with facility.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector panel including a terminal block having a front face and a rear face with an array of counterbores provided therein extending between said faces to define at least one abutment surface in each of the counterbores;
at least one groove for receiving a ground wire formed in the rear face and connecting selected ones of the counterbores;
a terminal contact seated in each of said counterbores, each of said terminal contacts having a female end adjacent said front face for receiving a connector plug, said terminal contacts associated with the other counterbores having a male end extending beyond said rear face; and
a face plate removably secured to said rear face, said face plate including an array of apertures formed therein, each of said apertures being associated with one of said terminal contacts and allowing the male end of said terminal contacts to pass therethrough.
A method of forming a connector panel is also provided.